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IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: INCLUDING THE OUTSIDERS


(Acts 10:44-47—Preacher: Ps Paw Liang)




The Trinity are independent and interdependent. Each Person has their own distinct roles and characteristics. In this text, the Holy spirit is God, just like the Father and the Son. And He is free. The Holy Spirit is free to come and to go whenever and however he pleases. He is free to give gifts or withhold gifts, to regenerate and convict and baptize and seal and fill and comfort and counsel whenever he wills according to his own infinite wisdom (Heb 2:4; 1 Cor 12:11)

Is there any correlation between the way Peter preached and the coming of the Holy Spirit in power? The general misunderstanding is certain pastors will have the power to call down the Holy Spirit. Jesus told us, the Holy Spirit comes to teach us all things and will remind us of Jesus. Holy Spirit helps to make Jesus real to us. When Peter preached about Jesus, Holy Spirit comes to convict, to regenerate,  and dwell in them once they open their hearts.

Salvation is for everyone. Peter, being a conservative Jews, had difficulty to include the non-Jews into the circle of Jesus’ disciples. God used Peter to minister to Cornelius, a Roman officer who was sincerely seeking God. The role of the Holy Spirit is very clear; to convict, convince, regenerate.

Assurance of faith: The presence of the Holy Spirit may come with manifestations (speaking in tongues etc), signs and wonders. But that’s not the only ‘evidence’ of the presence of the Holy Spirit. On 24 May 1738, John Wesley felt his heart strangely warm.  In a more subtle way, the indwelling of the Holy is to give us the assurance of faith. The work of the Holy spirit is not ‘static’ but ‘dynamic’ .  It is the ongoing experience of God’s gracious presence transforming us into whom God intends us to be, to sanctify and make us holy.

Entire sanctification: the Holy Spirit with the power of grace  enable us to love God with all your heart, mind and soul and strength and to love others as our-self. Holiness of life in the Wesleyan teaching is the perfection of love and of intention.  Holiness is the gift of the Holy Spirit. As the love of God grows in our life, this love will change and shape our outward behavior and performance. The early Methodists, in the class meeting, they would check with each other and asked: "How is it with your soul?" To hold each other accountable and to help them to grow in God's love so they could get away from sins.

Therefore, in his sermon the Character of a Methodist, John Wesley defined: A Methodist is one who has "the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost given unto him;" one who "loves the Lord his God with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his mind, and with all his strength. God is the joy of his heart, and the desire of his soul; which is constantly crying out, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee! My God and my all! Thou art the strength of my heart, and my portion forever!"

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